Diverticular disease

Diverticular disease is an overarching term for any pathology involving a diverticula but when not otherwise specified usually refers to colonic diverticular disease and associated sequelae. 

Terminology

There is overlap in terms used to describe the pathologies associated with colonic diverticula ⁶:

• diverticulosis: presence of non-inflamed diverticula
• diverticulitis: inflamed diverticulum/diverticula
• diverticular disease: overarching term for any entity involving diverticula including diverticulosis, diverticulitis, diverticular hemorrhage, etc

Clinical presentation

Diverticulosis is largely asymptomatic, however, 4% of individuals with diverticula develop diverticulitis throughout their lifetime ⁵.

Pathology

Outpouchings of GI tract result in blind-ended diverticula in communication with the lumen of the gastrointestinal system. They most commonly occur within the sigmoid colon, although may arise anywhere from the pharynx to the anal verge (although rectal or anal diverticula are very rare ⁴):

• oral diverticula: rare
• pharyngeal diverticula
• esophageal diverticula
• gastric diverticula
• small bowel diverticular disease
  • duodenal diverticulosis
    • duodenal diverticulitis
  • Meckel diverticulum
    • Meckel diverticulitis
  • jejunoileal diverticulosis
    • jejunoileal diverticulitis
• large bowel diverticular disease
  • colonic diverticulosis: presence of multiple diverticula within the large bowel
    • colonic diverticulitis: inflammation of the diverticula
  • appendiceal diverticulosis
  • rectal diverticulosis: very rare
• anal diverticulosis: extremely rare

See also

• bladder diverticulum